The Jesus People movement began 60years ago. Young people with no Christian background or instruction suddenly found the Word of God and the person of Jesus Christ to be very attractive and compelling. Can such a thing happen again?

I believe it can, and will. That belief is based on the simple fact that there is a longing in every heart that can only be satisfied by a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. And it is buttressed by reports from here and there that young people today seem to be more open to a search for the truth than young people from the recent past.

Those of us who are older Christians should be ready to encourage that search. But there are many ways in which we can get it wrong. Perhaps we have settled into a form of Christianity that is comfortable, with attitudes and a form of language that isolates us, practically a tribal religion. It will not work to attempt to enroll new Christians into such a tribal Christianity. Trying to stifle their enthusiasm would also be a mistake. Becoming merely cheerleaders would be another mistake. New Christians need mentors, not critics or cheerleaders. Mentors are people who are thoroughly grounded in their faith and able to teach, but also able to learn how to adapt their expression of faith to changing times and other cultures.

I believe Blaise Pascal got it right when he said, 400 years ago: “People despise Christianity; they hate it, and are afraid that it might be true. To remedy that, we must begin by showing that it is not contrary to reason, that it is venerable and worthy of respect; make it attractive so that people wish that it were true; then show that it is true. It is venerable because it knows the true nature of man; attractive because it promises true good.”